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墨書 Inktalez
A month’s time can feel both long and short, and each day was a torment for me. I secretly rented a place outside, like a thief. Every day and night, I packed my belongings bit by bit into a suitcase, living in constant fear.
Finally, the day arrived when I went to the civil affairs bureau with Liu Yin to finalize our divorce. Holding that little booklet tightly, I was speechless for a long time after receiving the certificate. Liu Yin, clearly impatient, tugged at my arm and urged, “Hurry up, stop dawdling, and transfer the money!”
Wen Qian had taken special leave to come pick me up and accompany me to the bank for the transfer. She also helped me return home to collect my neatly organized clothes.
When we arrived at my new rented room, I collapsed against Wen Qian and cried uncontrollably. I was free—freedom bought with two hundred thousand.
I told my parents about the divorce. They showed signs of regret but didn’t blame me. After all these years, they were exhausted too. Wen Qian asked about my plans for the future. I said I needed to work to earn money and pay off debts. She smiled and told me not to rush, advising me to be cautious of others, especially since there was still the child to consider. Liu Yin might come back to harass me in the future.
After much discussion with my parents, we decided it was best to sell the house. This way, we could pay off debts and my parents could move to a smaller city for retirement. Once I settled them in, I began searching for a job.
Although I had been out of work for several years, some basic skills and aesthetic sense remained. It didn’t take long before I found a job at a photography studio. Starting as an assistant was fine by me.
When I received my first paycheck after a month, I was so overwhelmed that I nearly cried. This was my first income in many years. Though it wasn’t much, it held significant meaning for me.
I decided to invite Wen Qian and Lawyer Lin out for dinner. I wanted to thank them for their help and companionship during this time. It also served as a celebration of my newfound life. From now on, I would save my salary diligently to pay off my debts. After the meal, Wen Qian told me she had something to share, urging me not to get too excited.
Wen Qian shared some news with me. A few classmates who had previously shared their experiences with me were outraged upon hearing about my situation and wanted to help. They discussed ways to find some dirt on Liu Yin. So, they began plotting to track Liu Yin down. Coincidentally, one of them, named Duan Duan, managed to hail a ride in a car driven by Liu Yin.
That day, Duan Duan was on her way to the airport with her meticulously crafted sculpture, preparing for an international exhibition. When she got into the car, she recognized a somewhat familiar face—Liu Yin. To her surprise, Liu Yin was driving while fatigued. The car crashed headfirst into the roadside barrier. Unfortunately, Duan Duan's sculpture was also destroyed in the impact, shattering into pieces.
Duan Duan was furious and immediately grabbed Liu Yin and called the police. She pointed at the pile of fragments and raised her voice, "This was my entry for a competition in Europe! Now it's all ruined! All my hard work over these days and the expenses for the competition have gone down the drain! You must compensate me—five hundred thousand!"
When the police arrived and assessed the situation, they carefully reviewed Duan Duan's competition documents and confirmed everything was in order. Seeing the gravity of the situation, Liu Yin panicked and started acting unreasonable. However, Duan Duan was not someone to be trifled with; she firmly stated, "Then let's go through legal proceedings."
Upon hearing that they would take legal action, Liu Yin became even more anxious. She began to plead and negotiate desperately until she managed to reduce the compensation amount to two hundred thousand. She even wrote a compensation agreement on the spot.
Wen Qian's voice carried a hint of amusement as she said, "Duan Duan asked me to transfer this money to you."
I immediately felt anxious. "But that's the money for her sculpture! How can I accept it?"
"Hey, don't be so hasty," Wen Qian quickly explained. "The broken sculpture was just Duan Duan's Plan B. Her Plan A was safely shipped long ago. She just didn't want you to worry about the money, so she asked me to tell you about it first. The money you borrowed from me has already been repaid. When she comes back, remember to treat her to a nice meal as a thank you."
Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. What had I done to deserve such kind and loyal friends? In my most desperate and helpless moments, they had reached out to help me without hesitation.
Work was overwhelming, and I was busy with a flurry of tasks. Yet, I didn't feel tired at all. It was as if there was an endless supply of energy within me. Every minute and every second, I was fighting for myself. It felt wonderful.
Two months later, my son Liu Qiqi sent me a message using his grandfather's phone number.
"Mom, Dad sent me to Grandma and Grandpa's house."
"Grandma and Grandpa's house isn't fun at all; there's nothing to play with."
"Send me a game console, or better yet, come pick me up. I want to go home."
The little child spoke in a commanding tone. Living at Grandma and Grandpa's house was fine; there were no bad influences around, just a simple life. I looked at the screen, feeling a pang of sorrow in my heart.
I steeled myself and typed a reply. "Mom can't afford to take care of you."
"Just stay well at Grandma and Grandpa's."
After sending the message, I tossed my phone aside, unable to bear looking at it again.
During that time, I received a call from an unfamiliar number. It was Li Wei.
She immediately asked, "Did you give Liu Yin two hundred thousand when you got divorced?" Her voice was filled with excitement.
I replied that I did. She sounded very pleased and even praised me a bit. "You really are kind and generous." She added, "That useless Liu Yin is lucky to have met you."
Before she could ask anything else, I hung up the phone and blocked her number. I didn't want to waste my time or emotions on someone like her. My life was no longer intertwined with theirs.
A few days later, I heard some news: Liu Yin had been detained. The reason was for molesting a passenger. And that passenger was Li Wei.
This was truly…
It took me quite a while to piece together the whole story. That day, Li Wei had approached Liu Yin, demanding he give her one hundred thousand. Naturally, Liu Yin refused. They ended up having several heated arguments over it. Liu Yin insisted he had no money. In a fit of rage, Li Wei threatened him, saying, "If you don't give me the money, you'll regret it!" They parted ways on bad terms.
Not long after, Li Wei reported him to the police, claiming that Liu Yin had touched her inappropriately in the car.
He presented solid evidence. Surveillance videos, recordings, everything was in order. Liu Yin had no way to clear his name now. In the end, he was sentenced to six months of detention. When I heard the news, I felt not a single ripple of emotion. It was just dogs biting dogs. He deserved it all.
Six months later, I finally became a permanent employee. I was no longer that little assistant trailing behind others, doing menial tasks. I had become a full-fledged photographer, capable of handling things on my own. Over the past half year, I had worked tirelessly, day and night, taking on all sorts of assignments—portraits, landscapes, products—anything that could earn me money. I welcomed every opportunity because I had a goal: to buy back each lens that Liu Yin had broken, one by one, just like when I first fell in love with photography.
Liu Yin was out of prison. When I heard this news, my heart couldn't help but tremble slightly. I feared he would come back to harass me, worried that nightmares would return. However, this time, he didn’t seek me out. Perhaps he thought there was nothing left for him to exploit from me, or maybe he had more important matters to attend to.
Just a few days after his release from prison, he was involved in a car accident with Li Wei. I came across this news in a photography group. Someone in the group shared photos from the accident scene. They were horrific.
It is said that Liu Yin sought out Li Wei to settle scores after his release. The two got into an argument inside the car. Li Wei, agitated, grabbed the steering wheel midway. As a result, the car lost control and crashed into a truck in the adjacent lane. The scene was chaotic. The small car was wrecked beyond recognition.
Li Wei was thrown from the vehicle and died on the spot. Although Liu Yin survived, both of his legs were severely injured, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. From now on, he would spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.
I don't know if this counts as retribution, but I do know that he and Li Wei can no longer harm me. My life can finally begin anew. I bought a new lens and carefully attached it to my camera. Through the viewfinder, I saw a familiar world—a world that had once been shrouded in darkness but was now illuminated by sunlight once again.
I picked up my camera and stepped out of my house. I wanted to use my lens to capture the beauty of this world and tell touching stories through my photographs.
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